Monday, September 21, 2009

Conspicuously absent from this list was Chad Billingsley. This spirited exchange ensued in our comments section, and it boiled down to this: Does Joe Torre go with the pitcher with the better recent performance (e.g., Garland) or the pitcher with better stuff (Billingsley)?

What do you think, SoSG readers? Should Chad Billingsley start for the Dodgers in the playoffs? Answer in the poll in our sidebar!

i think he should start against st louis, but probably not against philly and the lefty dominated line up. if chad shows the slightest bit of wavering in any game he starts, torre will pull the plug and hand the game over to his bullpen. this is the advantage the dodgers have over these other teams, bullpen skill and depth. philly's pen is upside down and is it just me or are you really scared of ryan franklin? his career numbers suggest that we shouldn't be.

I'd probably still start Chad, but definitely not #1 and probably not #2. Though I suppose it can be argued that he'll never build the confidence for a high-pressure situation if you never put him into one.

I would probably go:WolfKershaw (if healthy)BillsKuroda

If the roster allows for it, use Padilla and Garland as long relief. Or use Chad as Kershaw's backup and if he has to come in, bump Kuroda to #3 and Garland to #4.

@rbnlaw 11:14a: How could Hasselhoff have possibly gotten poisoned by alcohol at Dodger Stadium? I mean, he may have made a little bit of money off of German teenagers with no music taste, but getting drunk on $12 beers is a pretty spendy way to go.

@Sax: I heard he cashed his last "America's Got Talent" check and went straight to the loge level lounge where he purchased several Corona "bombers" and had many others bought for him by Susan Boyle and Grandma Lee.

I don't trust Bills at all right now. I'd be scared to death that he'd have one of his four-run sixth innings in the first, second, or third. He lacks the confidence to be a playoff starter at the moment.

As another commenter said, any poker player will tell you that a hot hand is a good thing to have. I like Kershaw, Wolf, Kuroda, Garland, with the order depending on the team we face.

It would be interesting to see how many of the people who advocate for Bills would also advocate for Hudson over Belly #2 to start, based on their "dance with the one who brung you reasoning" as opposed to the "hot bat" school of thought.